Iceland
According to World happiness report (2012-2014) Iceland is a place, where the happiest people live, like in Switzerland and Denmark (Helliwell, Layard, and Sachs 26). Why? Maybe, it is connected with unique geographical resources of the country, because Iceland is a country of geological contradictions When people live in harmony with nature, they no doubt can be healthy and happy.
Let us speak about people of Iceland. In 2011 the population of it was 318 452 persons (Heimur 12) with density of 3 inhabitants per square kilometer on the total area of 103000 km2 (Columbia University 7). The density of population may vary from very low (80% of the territory is not populated) in the center of Iceland to more high on the coast, especially in the southwestern part, where the capital Reikjavik, Kopavogur and other cities of the coast take place (Columbia University 7). Reikjavik is not only the center of cultural and economic life, but governance. Iceland is a parliamentary republic of representative democracy. It is divided into regions, constituencies and municipalities. Since 2003, there are 6 constituencies in the country: Reykjavik North and South, Southwest suburban areas, Northwest and Northeast (Northern half of the country), and South (excluding Reykjavik and the suburbs) (Wikipedia. Iceland). The distribution of population active in labour market is varied (Statistic Iceland 13). Fishing and agriculture are the most important engagement in the country. By the way, the quality of life for the inhabitants is comparatively high, it is connected with reasonable nature management (ORKUSTOFNUN 1).
The most interesting in geology of the country is interplay between glacial and volcanic forces (Columbia University 28). Actual geologic explanation of island appearance is connected with the idea of plate tectonics and the theory of hotspots (Columbia University 10; Simmonds 17). The island was formed on a Mid-Atlantic Ridge as a result of penetrating mantle plume in a Cenozoic period. Speaking geologic language, it had happened rather recently (Simmonds 17), that’s why the crust is yet hot, and one can meet a lot of sources of hot water, hydrothermal springs or geysers. The famous geothermal field Haukadalur (Mary Solio), situated in the Southern half of Iceland, is a popular travel direction, where The Great Geysir is located (Simmonds 20). As in ancient tales there are opposite forces in nature: the force of creating and the forth of destruction. The mid-Atlantic Ridge, like any other mid-oceanic ridge, is a place, where a new crust is arising, on the other hand exogenous forces destroy the rock year after year millions of years. A large destroying work is made by glaciers and rivers, fed by glaciers and precipitations. Glaciers cover nearly 10% of the territory, the largest caps are Vatnajokul, Langjokul and Hotsjokull (Columbia University 28). They are making their destroying work; sometimes they can be the reason of fjord formation (Symmonds 19), a narrow gulf, which deeply penetrate in the land, as it was in the land of Ice. Another kind of bay is a lagoon. The definition of a lagoon is a point at issue when speaking about salinity of a water and a closure degree of a water body, that’s why it is common to hear “lake” Hop, but not lagoon Hop on the Northern coast of the island Iceland. One can remind a blue Lagoon, which is, by the way, not a natural wonder (Long). A Blue Lagoon is a great idea of an authority of Svartsengi geothermal plant to collect an outlet clean water in an natural land depression.
The energy system of the country has changed greatly recently, in the twenty first century, when the clean energy became the basic kind of energy source for the country (ORKUSTOFNUN 2). There are more than 20 points where the temperature at the depth of 1000 meters is 250ºC (Columbia University 25); so it is a plenty of endogenous energy in Iceland for producing electricity, heat, hot water. The main regions of geothermal energy are: Reykjanes peninsula on the Southwest, Hengill area east of Reykjavik, Geysir region, Namafjall field and Hveravellir in the center of Iceland (Columbia University 22-23). Different kinds of geothermal plans have been built in that regions. Operation of geothermal plant is commonly based on the work of steam or the hot water, one more type of plant is Combined Heat and Power, which uses excess heat, and a plant with binary combined cycle, which can be used in conditions of low pressure steam (Columbia University 25).
In the structure of energy consumption 82% of primary energy is derived from renewable resources (ORKUSTOFNUN 2). Iceland is lucky country, icelanders produce sufficient energy per capita and share their experience all over the world.
Simmonds, Jane. Iceland (Insight Guiders). London: Apa Publications GmbH&Co Verlag KG (Singapore branch), 1999. Print.
Columbia University. Iceland field Guid. New York: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, 2010. Print
“Census 2011: Main results by output areas”. Population 2015:1. Statistical Series Vol. 100 No 9 (2015): 20 pp. Statistic Island. Web. 25 Apr. 2015
Matt Long. “Why the Blue Lagoon in Iceland Isn’t a Natural Wonder”. Landlopers. March 4, 2012. Web. 25 April, 2015
“Meet Iceland – a Pioneer in the Use of Renewable Resources”. ORKUSTOFNUN. National Energy Authority. September 2009: 12 pp. Web. 25 April, 2015
Around Iceland 2011. A comprehensive and Concise Visitors Guide to Iceland. Iceland Review Publication. Heimur, 2011. Print
Helliwell John F., Richard Layard and Jeffrey Sachs. “World Happiness Report 2015”. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
“Iceland”. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 27 April 2015. Web. 28 April 2015.
Mary Solio. “The Iceland Geysers in Haukadalur Geothermal Area”. The World is a book, 29 May 2013. Web. 27 April 2015
